The design of most public restrooms greatly caters for the ability to wash hands after the use of the toilette, providing facilities like sinks - sometimes with touchless faucets - soap dispensers, hand driers, paper towels etc. All quite expensive or maintenance heavy equipment.

But when leaving the restroom, in too many cases the design of the facility requires you to open the door inwards usually by pulling a handle.

(Note that the door in my picture is transparent allowing you to see who is on the other side. It leads to a short dedicated corridor, not an open public space. Both attributes greatly reduce the chance of knocking down anyone on either side of the door.)

The problem is obvious, whoever did not wash his hands after using the toilette has touched that same handle passing germs and contamination onto it. In many cases the construction of the doors really requires you to grab the handle, unlike on the way in where you can simply push the door with a shoulder or feet.

Is there a reason for such design or is it modern instance of Cargo Cult?

great question, I too have that problem with these doors, and my technique is to use a paper tissue, or if I'm lucky have someone else open it for me (someone entering for instance).
–
jackJoeMar 6 '12 at 18:10

7

because some rileys throw the door open. (dangerous for bypassers)
–
jbergerMar 6 '12 at 18:26

7

if the hallway is a high-traffic area, opening outwards into the hall causes a detour.
–
jbergerMar 6 '12 at 18:29

16

A lot of public restrooms (for instance, on the New York Thruway) have no doors at all, with a bent hall that occludes any line of sight twixt outside and in.
–
Jon PurdyMar 6 '12 at 19:17

20

Smart facilities managers make sure there is a trash can near the door, so that people can throw away the paper towel they used to open the door. Otherwise, you might find a pile of paper towels by the entry.
–
tajmoMar 6 '12 at 20:00

Doors opening into the path of egress shall not reduce the required
width to less than one-half during the course of the swing.

I think what you have, as with so much bad design and user experience, is convention and a lack of incentive to do the harder/more expensive thing (no law requiring it, no directive from the client, etc.). Do you think there needs to be more behind it than that?

From your answer it seems to me that the bacteria contamination on the door handle (especially E-coli) is of greater danger for the user than the possibility of being hit by the door opening to any side (especially if the door is transparent and doe's not lead to large public area directly) or the possibility of being struck inside the restroom where the door is blocked from outside. my conclusion is that the answer to my question is that the pull-handle-to-leave-the-restroom design is pure madness.
–
daniel.sedlacekMar 18 '12 at 11:12

4

The most logic reason they would swing inwards is because nobody is in there so the door doesn't obstruct anyone, if you would swing it outwards you could hit a waiting person. Also, doors that go outwards obstruct your path if you have to go urgently...
–
Tom WijsmanMar 23 '12 at 14:01

@BryanOakley Germs are just a rationalization. Come on. I can attest that I personally hate touching this particular kind of door handle because touching something that has traces of someone's sexual organs, urine or fecal matter is just plain gross. Nothing to do with being non-sterile.
–
Mischa ArefievFeb 18 at 21:35

I believe the answer is actually because of building codes. If a room has only one entrance, it MUST open inwards. This is because if anything on the outside is blocking the door, it can still be opened, and then the person can clear the obstruction manually

Trying to push the door forward might not be enough to clear the obstruction depending on a number of factors, primarily that when pushing on a door, most of your force is going to be distributed across the door and can't be in a focused spot for knocking over the obstruction.

EDIT: I've not had much luck tracking down a direct source for this. There's a ton of information on Google for building codes -- all of it painful legalese-- and while I might find it eventually, I could also note that this doesn't have to be a building code-- it could just as well be a convention.

I offer the following experiment:

Find a room with an outward swinging door. Lock down other exits so that they cannot be used.

Locate the fresh excrement of an animal, and place it in this room.

Take a younger sibling with a propensity for building things and a distaste for rancid odors, and also place him in the room.

Walk outside, close the door, and place your foot at the base of the door, and lean forward to place all of your weight on that leg.

Do not move. Remember, you are simulating an obstruction.

When you are satisfied that the sibling is properly frustrated, move from your position and allow him to exit.

Wait for the sibling to become an architect.

Check to see which way the bathroom doors in his building swing.

Alternatively, you can reason that either a code or convention is in place by checking several office buildings, finding all rooms which have only one entrance and are made for small capacity (larger ones usually have multiple entrances and swing outward to avoid crowd crush), and seeing which way they open. If they all invariably open inward, a code is probably in effect (If it were a matter of whim, there would be variance). If most of them open inward with a few exceptions, it may be a convention instead (though it could also be that the doors were modified after inspection).

Presumably, if my above answer is the case, this won't only happen with bathrooms, but with all similar small rooms with a single entrance.

Some of the information contained in this post requires additional references. Please edit to add citations to reliable sources that support the assertions made here. Unsourced material may be disputed or deleted.

10

Building codes or not, this line of thinking is extremely pragmatic. It is very difficult for an external force to accidentally imprison an internal member if the door swings inward.
–
FarrayMar 6 '12 at 23:27

57

hadn't we invented a door that can swing both ways two million years ago?
–
Lie RyanMar 7 '12 at 8:39

4

Can you back up your claim with any citations or resources?
–
daniel.sedlacekMar 7 '12 at 9:46

10

As I've now added in my answer the National Fire Protection Association (US) states that doors for rooms capable of taking 50 people must open outwards as a crowd of people pushing on the door in an emergency may prevent the door from being able to be opened, and that a door that is not restricted by any of the other rules, (or by accessibility guidelines) may open inwards or outwards as sapce and safety allows. So it's really not as simple as having a single rule to follow. There are multiple factors to consider
–
Roger AttrillMar 7 '12 at 10:34

6

I thought that building codes actually requires you to have your door opened outwards? Suppose there is an emergency inside the room: everyone will flee towards the door and it will be impossible to open the door if it opens inwards because all the people are pushing to get out.
–
Bart GijssensMar 7 '12 at 10:36

I believe that in some places it is against building/fire regulations to have bathroom doors opening outwards. Rational or not, I think the reasoning is that an outward-opening door could allow for 'backdraft' if a fire were to start in the bathroom.

One solution I've seen is the foot pull (see below), but those are not particularly usable either. When I've used them, I've worried that someone will open the door while my foot is in there.

Some of the information contained in this post requires additional references. Please edit to add citations to reliable sources that support the assertions made here. Unsourced material may be disputed or deleted.

1

Do you have anthing to support the fire regulation theory? Ps: nice pic :)
–
daniel.sedlacekMar 6 '12 at 19:39

2

@dinko628 - Really? The exterior door thing must be a UK/EU thing. US public buildings require exterior doors to open outward (they can also open inward, but they must open outward when more than 60 people would be using it as an escape route) to keep from trapping a large group of people that is likely in a commercial building. Why the same rule doesn't apply to US restrooms (they generally open into the restroom), I don't know.
–
ShaunaMar 6 '12 at 20:47

4

@Shauna: Maybe because you don't expect a stampede of 60 people in the restroom?
–
Neil GMar 7 '12 at 9:15

1

@NeilG - You've never seen a women's restroom on a busy night at a theater or sporting even. ;)
–
ShaunaMar 13 '12 at 19:01

Actually I have come across toilets in a motorway rest area that has doors that open outwards.

It was a disabled toilet - one that was separated from the main restroom area, so the cubicle door was the only door. I used them occasionally when my kids were smaller and I needed to take a pushchair in with me, they have the larger maneuvering space required for wheelchairs.

When I came out, I nearly knocked out several people who were passing by.

It definitely makes sense for doors to open outwards and the associated danger for others fades into the background in comparison with a disabled person needing the loo - and more to the point, potentially getting into trouble while in the cubicle. The reason for outwards opening doors is that in an emergency the occupant may be lying on the floor. The door can also open inwards if space permits, but bearing in mind the additional need for at least a 1.5m maneuvering circle.

Main restroom doors

If considering the door between the larger restroom area itself and the the outside, as opposed to the stall/cubicle doors themselves. I think generally the same principle applies. Certainly people inside a room are in the context of the facility and its purpose, whereas people outside are not necessarily in that mindset (yet) and maybe have no intention of going in but just standing chatting, waiting or passing by. People inside are rather less likely to be just standing there and more likely to be on their way out.

The solution for that particular problem, (where space allows) would be to have a L-bend or U-bend corridor or similar so that there are no doors and no-one can see round the bend. You'll frequently find exactly that in places of high footfall like airports and shopping centers.

Except for a special form of horizontal sliding door and a couple of
other exceptions, the Life Safety Code requires doors in a means of
egress to be of the side-hinged or pivoted swinging type. Further, the
Code requires the swinging doors to open in the direction of egress
travel under any of four conditions: One, when the door serves a room
or area with an occupant load of 50 or more persons; Two, when the
door is used in an exit enclosure (such as the door into an enclosed
exit stair); Three, when the door serves a high hazard contents area;
and Four, when the door is in a horizontal exit. If none of the four
conditions applies, then the door is permitted to swing back into the
room or space.

The rule involving 50 people is related to a panicking crowd of people in an emergency pushing against a door that if opening inward would be impossible to open.

So if the restroom area counts as one of those four methods of exit then it has to swing outwards (in the US at least). If not, then logic, space and general safety should prevail.

Conclusion

At this point, it's obvious (and unsurprising) that there are many factors which affect whether a door should swing inwards or outwards. I'm sure that top of the list for installers are matters of safety, regulations, accountability. Consequentially matters of hygiene are lower on the list for many commercial and residential installations, but of course of high importance in medical or 'clean room' applications.

Some workarounds are available like the StepNPull and similar but these are retro-fit applications and certainly not suitable for use on their own.

A final tip

Personally, and depending on the establishment I tend to pull the handle at a point that is least natural to others, and perhaps tend to assume that others who do the same are those that also wash their hands properly.

Knocking people can also happen on the other direction, can't it?
–
jackJoeMar 6 '12 at 18:11

14

True, but if you're inside and near the door the likelihood is that you're on your way out and therefore more aware of the door. If you're just walking past then the door is not in your mind and would therefore be more unexpected if it flings open in your face.
–
JonW♦Mar 6 '12 at 18:33

1

Sorry I don't see the difference between the danger of being hit on eitherside of the door. Moreover the door on my pic has transparent areas and leads to small dedicated corridor. From this it looks to me that the danger of infe tions is much higher than potential danger of being hit more often on certain side.
–
daniel.sedlacekMar 6 '12 at 19:36

1

@Shauna. For disabled toilets, there is usually no distinction between the cubicle door and the outer door. They are one and the same.
–
TRiGMar 6 '12 at 22:36

2

@daniel.sedlacek - obviously the 'danger' will be the same on both sides but the consequences will be quite different. On the inside, the door will be locked and immoveable until you're ready to leave. If at that moment someone tries to get in then you will be pushed backwards a bit. On the outside, if you're walking past and the door opens then you're likely to run up against the edge of the door and more than likely the door will not give but transfer the force through its hinges. The likelyhood of injury is much greater in this case.
–
paulMar 8 '12 at 6:23

If you’re interested, there is a great book which has been around for more than twenty years discussing usability, by Professor Donald A. Norman. Norman started his usability career with a similar question like yours – why door usability is so poor. If you have the time, I would highly recommend this book, since it’s one of the “must read” books if you want to learn more on usability.

And to answer your question: my view is that the restroom interior manufacturers and designers don’t manufacture doors and vice versa. Probably there’s not a strong enough project manager having hygienic design close to heart - instead the main focus is (1) budget and (2) delivery on time. There could also be a third option, which is similar to when you take your first programming learning skills. Presume that everything goes right, instead of focusing on when things go wrong. In this case – if everyone washed their hands appropriately, this would not be a problem.

Really? Do you really think which way the door opens is a result of a project manager worried too much about the budget? Couldn't it possibly a competent project manager weighing more important concerns (e.g., fire safety)?
–
benzadoMar 7 '12 at 5:45

1

@benzado Yes, it could be. But I'm not saying that is the case for a fact, just that it might be that way. If there were security concers, the door would open both ways, right? If there were healt concerns, the door would open outward, but it opens inward. In my mind, hygiene nor safety is the main priority for the project manager responsible for the building site.
–
Benny Skogberg♦Mar 7 '12 at 7:02

Depending on country there are architectural regulations regarding the opening of the doors. Usually:

public doors => open outdoor to facilitate the exit in case of fire or other emergencies.
residential exterior => open indoor to avoid being blocked by snow and stuff
residential interior => special cases like bathrooms should be open outside so persons are not blocked inside

Public baths should not even have doors, just parallel openings like this:

===================== ==========
============= =================

The rest should open in a way to obstruct the least the traffic and to prevent accidents.

Some of the information contained in this post requires additional references. Please edit to add citations to reliable sources that support the assertions made here. Unsourced material may be disputed or deleted.

2

One addition. In many hurricane areas (Florida, USA) residential doors frequently open out. That way heavy winds blow the door more firmly closed instead of forcing it open.
–
Brad BruceMar 8 '12 at 0:29

I've seen one very nice solution to this problem in Japan: In Tokyo, even some public toilets have automatic doors.

A different solution to the problem is used in public toilets in the Amsterdam Airport (Schiphol): They've simply don't use any doors, and rather have a bit twisted entrance for privacy.

In some countries I've seen swing-doors, but they tend to lead to issues when someone is going in at the same time someone leaves the restroom, which always creates an awkward moment of coordination...

Did you notice that Japanese house doors open outwards? (At least, they do in the area around Tokyo where I live.) I think it’s because of the risk of the door being blocked by falling furniture in during an earthquake.
–
PitarouMar 13 '12 at 14:10

If a door opens outwards, especially in a crowded restroom, then there is a high risk of someone who is walking by getting hit with the opening door. As such the risk and liability for the organization of getting sued is greater. To mitigate that risk, the doors open inwards. In some areas this has been lobbied and turned into building codes.

There is also the space factor where opening outward takes up more space as they require room to move around an open door.

Both of which come down to money. Too expensive to get sued, too expensive to make the room bigger to accommodate outward swinging doors.

Roger's pretty much hit on the head with his answer,from an usability point of view its easier for someone who is in a wheelchair to push in the door (hence it opening inward). Similarly when people are exiting from inside,they could invariably knock someone on their nose if the door opened out outside.

However from a disabled person point of view,I am just wondering how effective it is for a disabled person to maneuver with a door which swings inside when you are inside a small cramped place like a public toilet.

At least 30" x 48" of floor space must be available for one
wheelchair. Part of the space can be set below fixtures or other
accessories. This is provided the toe and knee clearances for
individuals in wheelchairs are met. The mounting heights of the toilet
and grab bars have to be accounted for as well.

The turning space for a wheelchair is at least 60" in diameter (for a
180 degree turn). To meet this demand, the dimensions of handicap
bathrooms can feature a T-shaped space fitted with 36" wide aisl

In general, I have found that when entering a room, doors open inwards. It's not just restrooms. Likely for the safety reasons issued.

If I'm leaving a room, I'm aware of the door, it's what I'm walking towards, and looking at. If it suddenly opens towards me, I'm more likely to see and react. If the doors opened outwards, it definitely wouldn't affect me. However, if I'm disabled, there is a chance that I could fall against an inward swinging door, which is why most disabled restrooms have outward swinging doors, because a person outside might REQUIRE access to the room which is otherwise blocked. And if the room is small, opening the door with a wheelchair would be challenging if it swung inwards.

If I'm in the hall and not entering the room, I'm not paying attention to the door. It swinging open will catch me off guard, potentially causing injury. Which is why doors open inwards normally.

If I'm in the hall and entering the room, it doesn't really matter which way the door goes. But, in the sake of a disabled person in a wheelchair, opening outwards is again, preferred, as there is probably MORE space outside the room, than inside making maneuvering and opening the door easier.

As others have said, I think the core reason is that there is a great danger of knocking someone over when opening the doors if, as is often the case, the entire area is compact. Also, in most public areas, where there are doors that are usable both ways, it is common to have a window, so that you can see whether someone is coming the other way. Obviously, this would not be appropriate in this case, so opening inwards makes sense.

I have seen at least one place where most cubicles open inwards, but the disabled one opened outwards, which is sensible. The risks of knocking someone over are still there, but only from one door, the accisibility is increased significantly.

The other reason that it can make sense is that if doors are left open, when they open inwards, they are not a problem, but if they open outwards, they would be a danger. Including door closers makes it harder to know if a cubicle is occupied, and the construction of the cubicles is often not up to ensuring they swing shut on their own.

as a physicist I doubt the way the door opens has any effect on the direction of the air flow
–
daniel.sedlacekMar 17 '12 at 17:04

I see , but I do feel the wind blowing when door opens ..may be you are correct .. i dono !!
–
Pratheep chMar 18 '12 at 13:05

Why would the wind follow the way a door has been opened into ? For the wind, there is no door, there is just an opening through which air can pass.
–
Nicolas BarbulescoFeb 13 '13 at 4:19

@daniel.sedlacek Once the door is open, its position wouldn't impact air flow, but while it's opening the position of walls nearby could have an impact. Think of the door as being like a baseball bat hitting a baseball. If it swings into the room it could hit the ball directly into the restroom, and as it swings closed, it could hit the ball into the wall just inside the restroom. The force is equivalent in both directions but interference from the wall would make a difference in the overall directionality of air flow. This odor-containment explanation is plausible.
–
3nafishDec 20 '13 at 4:31

In simple sense , i feel it is because it is more easier to push then pull n as it is for public , public convenience is more important. I actually refer to banks and other such places where public should feel comfortable with all the services.

Welcome to Stack Exchange! If you didn't know, the purpose of this site is to provide factually sound answer as opposed to personal opinions and anecdotes. It would be great if you could cite some studies on the direction, in which doors open.
–
dnbrvMar 7 '12 at 3:44

So… it is “more easier” to push the door from inside than to pull the door from inside. Especially when inside you typically have very little space. Hence it is better to be able to open the door outwards from inside. :-)
–
Nicolas BarbulescoFeb 13 '13 at 4:14